This allegory from Book Three of Rumi's Masnavi tells the story of a thief digging a hole through a wall at night. When questioned by a sick, half-awake neighbor about his actions, the thief mockingly claims he is 'beating a drum.' Asked why there is no sound, the thief replies that the sound will be heard 'tomorrow'—referring to the cries of grief and woe when the theft is discovered. Metaphorically, this story illustrates how the spiritual consequences of hidden sins, self-deception, and worldly attachments may not be immediately visible, but will inevitably become painfully apparent in the future or on the Day of Judgment.